Published on Aug 7, 2000
Kevon Edmonds has things easy, one must think. Being the brother
of superstar producer/recording artist Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds,
he’s obviously gifted with the same vocal talents, and should be a
dead ringer for his famous sibling.
In fact, that’s exactly what the problem is with Edmonds’s album
24/7… it’s too much like the work of his brother. If you
didn’t really pay attention to this disc, you’d swear that you were
listening to a Babyface album.
How great is the influence on Edmonds? So much so that his
brother has more songwriting credits on this one than he does. So
much so that both brothers serve as executive producer (along with
Kevin Evans). So much so that the two brothers turn in a duet on “A
Girl Like You”… stop it, stop it,
stop it!!!
Whew… that felt good.
I guess that maybe I’m being a bit too harsh. After all, Edmonds
does have a good voice, and he puts it to use often on songs like
“Never Love You,” “When I’m With You,” Baby Come To Me” and the
title track. He did cut his teeth with the group After 7, so it’s
not like he’s never been on the scene before. And if you’re a fan
of the slow-jam r&b that Edmonds and his brother have brought
to the forefront of urban music over the last few years, then
24/7 is bound to please you.
Yet there is a specter that hangs over this disc that I just
can’t shake. It’s almost as if Babyface wants his brother to
succeed so bad that he makes sure that Edmonds stays on a
comfortable musical path, one that has been proven to be successful
over time. And it’s hard to say that tracks such as “I Want You
More” or “Sensitive Mood” are failures in any sense of the
word.
But what I don’t get from this disc is Edmonds’s own unique
style and flair for the music. In essence, this is like listening
to a Babyface photocopy, and I don’t sense any individualism in
Edmonds’s performances. This is the biggest regret I have with
24/7 – that Edmonds isn’t given the chance to succeed or
fail on his own terms. Maybe he’ll be given that chance on a second
album, once this one proves to follow the Babyface formula for
success… but then again, I know this industry too well, and once
people taste success, the suits don’t want to risk a dip in record
sales by trying new things.
Edmonds is obviously a talented artist with a voice which is
heaven sent. And while
24/7 is a pleasant enough album in its own regard, it’s a
shame that Edmonds sounds like he’s being forced to follow a proven
musical formula, rather than being allowed his own time and space
to grow as a unique artist. Instead, we’re only left to think about
how Edmonds could have developed on his own.
Of course, I fully recognize that this whole opinion isn’t going
to amount to shit in the eyes of the record-buying public… hell,
the title track (which, remember, is one of my favorites on the
album) has already gone gold. Oh, well… if it’s pabulum they
like, so be it.